UJ Online Short Learning Programme: Integrated Reporting For Accountants

CHALLENGE YOUR THINKING, INTEGRATE YOUR IMPACT

ABOUT INTEGRATED REPORTING FOR ACCOUNTANTS:

We are in the fourth industrial revolution. We are in the age of immediacy. Tomorrow is another day, but it is a day of radical transparency where no company can keep a secret in its corporate closet anymore. Boards have to think on an integrated basis about the long-term health of the company. That is when a company will be seen to be a good corporate citizen in a world which is not what it used to be. Boards can no longer continue to operate, quite lawfully, on trying to maximise profit but having a negative impact on society and the environment. That is poor corporate citizenry and committing wrongs against humanity” – Judge Mervyn King

The 21st century exposes professionals to change continuously. In this fluid new world, your skills and competencies are challenged on a daily basis. In addition to the demands imposed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, business professionals must maintain the role of fulfilling their responsibility to report the creation of value to stakeholders in a transparent manner.

Integrated Reporting (IR) is therefore fast becoming a necessity to communicate in a concise manner how an organisation’s strategy, governance, performance and prospects lead to the creation of value over the short, medium and long term. Integrated Reporting requires leaders in organisations to manage the interests of others, to think, plan and report the ‘story’ of the business. Integrated Reporting assists businesses to think holistically about their strategy and plans, make informed (including transformed) decisions and manage key risks and opportunities to build investor and stakeholder confidence and improve future performance and sustainability. In order to communicate value created, a business professional should consider and assess the impact and interaction of the ‘capitals’ in a business. It requires from the business professional creating value, to think differently and in an integrated manner i.e. integrated thinking.

If you are an accountant or a business professional looking to develop and/or master your career as a value creator, you need to embrace the competencies and skills you need to communicate a well-structure and planned Integrated Report.

HOW?
Introducing Integrated Reporting for Accountants, part of the series of short online learning programmes brought to you by SAICA and the University of Johannesburg, aimed at equipping accountants with the critical skills to challenge your thinking and acumen to become more integrated and communicate the creation of value in a concise, holistic and integrated manner.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Chartered accountants (CAs[SA]), Associate General Accountants (AGAs[SA]) and trainee accountants.

HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT?
This course will assist you in becoming an integrated thinker. It will provide you with skills to better understand your organisation’s risks resulting in improved strategies that promote value creation. You will discover the impact of the six capitals on an organisation’s value creation process as well as the necessary tools you need to begin your journey of preparing Integrated Reports.

AT THE END OF THE COURSE, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO:
At the end of the course, you will be able to:

Substantiate the need for Integrated Reporting and display a high-level knowledge of the fundamental concepts and guiding principles.
Evaluate the role that integrated thinking can play in a company’s success.
Explain and apply the importance of integrated thinking in making strategic decisions within an organisation.
Critically discuss the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors in preparing Integrated Reporting.
Explain the purpose and objective of Integrated Reporting in the context of the private and public sector as well as for non-profit organisations.
Critically discuss and assess the role of ethics in Integrated Reporting by linking decision-making to the needs of the stakeholders.
Explain and interpret the guiding principles in Integrated Reporting and its contribution to effective reporting on value creation with reference to practical case studies.
Explain how integrated thinking plays a role in utilising the capitals as part of the value creation process, through finance decision making and investment decisions by using management information.
Critically discuss and assess the various content elements in an Integrated Reporting and differentiate the role it plays in communicating key information on the capitals to stakeholders.

KEY FOCUS AREAS:
The course content will focus on the following key areas:

History and Evolution of Integrated Reporting
Integrated Thinking
Using the Integrated Reporting Framework
The Fundamental Concepts of Integrated Reporting
The Guiding Principles of Integrated Reporting
The Content Elements of Integrated Reporting

HOW YOUR COMPANY WILL BENEFIT?
Integrated Reporting establishes an integrated way of thinking as part of the journey of preparing Integrated Reports. Research has shown that organisations and their key management who adopt integrated thinking as part of their Integrated Reporting process have better decision-making ability to execute their strategies in a dynamic and volatile environment. Integrated Reporting also provides tools to ensure that your organisation takes a stakeholder inclusive approach by incorporating the six capitals as part of your decision-making and reporting.

DURATION OF COURSE:
Minimum of 8 weeks (Once, you have successfully completed the course, you will receive an electronic Certificate of Competency and will be able to log 40 CPD hours).

Please note that this course is competency based however, it will take approximately 40 hours to complete. You will be allowed 8 weeks from date of registration to complete.

Since the course is 100% online, this means you have maximum flexibility and can start the course at any point in time (you must, however, finish the course within 8 weeks of starting it – this includes successfully completing the quiz for each module and the final assessment)

COST OF COURSE:

Cost for SAICA members: R4 350

Discount price for companies registering 10 – 19 employees: R4 100 per person

Discount price for companies registering more than 20 employees: R3 999 per person

HOW TO APPLY:
Click here (enter the token “SAICA” to apply for the correct course).

If you are a current UJ student or alumni, follow these steps:
For current UJ students, login to Ulink then:1) click on iEnabler registration; 2) select academic/ residence application; 3) unhide academic applications; 4) click on “add new academic application and 5) enter the qualification code “SAICA” and follow the instructions to register.
For UJ alumni students open iEnabler then 1) select academic/ residence application; 2) unhide academic applications; 3) click on “add new academic application and 4) enter the qualification code “SAICA” and 5) create a pin via one of the buttons or the call centre.

PLEASE DIRECT ANY ENQUIRIES TO:
***@uj.ac.za

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: